Wig stand



` SPt 9, 1969 P. BELoKlN, JR 3,465,927

WIG STAND Original Filed April 24, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l prroeA/IYJ Sept. 9, 1969 P. BELoKlN, JR

WIG STAND 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed April 24. 1967 United 3,465,927 Patented Sept. 9, 1969 3,465,927 WIG STAND Paul Belokin, Jr., Brookfield, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Countess Natalie, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois 4Continuation of application Ser. No. 633,010, Apr. 24, 1967. This application Oct. 24, 1968, Ser. No. 777,967

Int. Cl. A45d 44/14 U.S. Cl. 223-67 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wig support structure capable of assuming an attractive pocket-sized carrying condition wherein a pair of dish-shaped members cooperate frictionally to form a container. An inflatable head form is connected to one of the members and the assembled container accommodates therein an elongated standard as Well as the deflated head form. To erect the wig support, the members are separated and inverted so that one member functions as a base which supports the upright standard and the head form-carrying cover member mounted on the top of the standard. The erected support has unusual mechanical stability and the inflated head form is elevated considerably from the base.

This invention relates generally to portable wig support structures and more particularly, provides an improved portable wig support structure capable of providing temporary support for a wig, said support structure being collapsible to a pocket-size package for transport thereof. This application is a continuation of my copending application, Ser. No. 633,010, led April 24, 1967, now abandoned.

`Conventional support structures for Wigs generally take the form of stationary rigid head forms mounted elevated on rigid post and base combinations. Such head forms normally are large and bulky, and usually they are heavy, as well. These characteristics serve to render them awkward to carry for transport. Portable support structures typically incorporate the conventional head forms in specialized casings. These are still larger and heavier, being frequently classified as luggage.

While luggage-type portable wig support structures may be useful where the traveler carries one or more wigs, there are many circumstances where the traveler utilizes only a single wig and wears the same. However, the traveler often may desire temporarily to remove the wig, say for adjustments, grooming, bath or shower, or simply for overnight storage. The carrying of bulky Wig support casing is inconvenient and sometimes embarrassing or otherwise undesirable. One must consider that the most desired attribute of a hairpiece is naturalness. Understandably, the wearer does not wish to be identified as wearing a wig. Thus, no user of a wig desires to call attention to the presence thereof. Whatever the basis of such desire, secrecy of use remains an important element in utilization of wigs. Such secrecy is lost Where the user is readily identified by an unmistakable portable wig casing. Obviously, forms for mounting wigs, even temporarily, are necessary. If the wig were removed, even temporarily, and just placed on a table or vanity without utilization `of a form support therefor, damage to the Wig could result. Further, in many instances, grooming of the wig is best performed when the wig is mounted on a head form support instead of being worn.

Thus, there exists a need for temporary wig supports. Most desirably, a practical support structure should be unobtrusive, compact, portable and easily assembled and disassembled. A structure which has these characteristics but provides, as well, for mechanically stable and beneficially elevated support of a Wig has been long sought after but with little adequate results. In the latter regard, it will be appreciated that a supported hairpiece which is not elevated sufficiently will have portions thereof lying haphazardly on the table or vanity top, causing possible injury to the hairpiece or its coiffure.

Additionally, considering that the majority of wig users are women, support structures of this type, to be practical, must also be saleable and thus possessed of structural configuration and design Which is attractive to the eye yet with no sacrifice in utility. The practical structure should be capable of being sold at a reasonable price, therefore the construction should involve low cost manufacture and assembly of a minimum number of component parts.

Some earlier attempts have been made to provide compact wig support structures. Examples of these attempts retain the principles of construction utilized in the rigid form but select an inflatable head form of reinforced materials in lieu of the solid or other rigidified head form structures. In one such example, an inflatable head form having a reinforced wide-mouth neck portion is secured hermetically to one portion of a base unit. The base unit also functions as the casing for the collapsed stand. The cover carries the head form hermetically sealed to the underface thereof. A receptacle portion is provided with means for carrying the cover in reversed condition, telescopically engaged Within said receptacle whereby the two parts are assembled to form the base for the erected support stand. The head form is inatable, the air being retained therein by means of a check valve provided in the cover portion. There is little question that such compact, inatable head form support structure was a clear improvement over earlier rigid or otherwise cumbersome wig supports. However, the result, while being more compact and utilitarian than prior structures, was not compact and unobtrusive enough for personal and/ or concealed carrying thereof, say in a pocket or purse. Furthermore, there was no provision, other than the simple height of the inflated head form, for elevating a supported wig above the base and supporting surface.

While the earlier portable wig supports have featured a container which functioned as a base for the inated head form, this container, of necessity, had a width dimension substantially larger than the maximum diameter of the inflated spherical head simulating section. This was to provide mechanical stability of the erected structure during use. Also, mechanical stability often required the inclusion of a neck and wide base portion, in addition to a head simulating section for mounting the wig. Thus the amount of material in the inatable head form was increased and necessitated a rather large container to hold same when deflated. Despite the added neck portion and the larger and non-concealable package, the erected support still was incapable of retaining a wig appreciably elevated from the base.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide a portable, inflatable wig support structure, pocket-sized in carrying condition, eliminating the above enumerated disadvantages of earlier Wig support structures.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wig support structure having a pair of container-'forming members which are separable to afford a base member and a head form-carrying member erected in an arrange- -rnent of unusual mechanical stability.

Still another object is to provide a wig support structure having means, namely an elongated rigid standard, for elevating the head form above the base member.

A further object is to provide a wig support structure collapsible to a pocket-size container accommodating therein the inflatable head form in collapsed condition as well as the rigid standard therefor.

Another object is to provide a portable, pocket-size collapsible wig support structure which, in collaped form, includes a pair of dish-shaped members arranged with their concavities facing and frictionally engaged to define a container and valve means mounted on one of said members, a portion of said valve means communicating with the exterior of the container and with a collapsed balloon hermetically sealed to the interior of said one member for ready inflation of said balloon.

Another object is to provide a portable wig support structure in which the head simulating form comprises an inflated narrow mouth expansible balloon hermetically sealed to a check valve mounted centrally on one of a pair of like dish-shaped member, said members being provided with peripheral rim portions and one member being disposed in erected form, with the concavity thereof facing upward in the direction of the inflated head form, the form being engageable with the `rim under the weight of a wig mounted on said inflated head simulating form so as to mechanically stabilize the erected arrangement during use.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a wig support structure which is collapsible to form a package having a smooth, unencumbered visually attractive surface.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become evident to those skilled in the art as a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention develops hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a wig support structure constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrated in fully assembled erected condition mounting a wig thereupon;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the wig support structure of FIG. 1 shown in its collapsed carrying condition;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the wig support structure of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 but with portions shown in section to illustrate interior construction;

FIG. 5 is a reduced perspective View illustrating an early stage of assembly from the collapsed carrying condition to the erected condition;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the erected wig support structure with portions shown in section to illustrate interior constructional details, the portions shown in phantom outline depicting the head simulating form thereof after the mounting of a wig thereupon;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the interior construction of a valve arrangement used in the wig support structure; and

FIG. 8 illustrates a user of the wig support structure of the invention represented in the process of gaining access to the interior of the said collapsed structure in its carrying condition.

Referring now to the drawing, a preferred embodiment of the wig supporting structure according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 in erected condition and having a wig mounted thereupon. The wig support structure is designated generally by reference character 10 and includes a head simulating form 12, a first dish-shaped member 14, a second dish-shaped member 16 and a vertical standard 18. A Wig 20 is illustrated mounted upon the head simulating form 12, and it will be noted that because of the elevated condition of member 14, the wig is supported in unimpeded free-hanging fashion.

In the assembled condition of wig support structure 10, the first member 14 functions to support the head simulating form 12 while the second member 16 serves as a base. In the erected condition of structure 10, the head simulating form 12 is inflated, being formed of a suitable air impervious material such as natural or synthetic rubber, plastic films and the like. For example, a simple, narrow-mouthed rubber l`balloon formed of material of appropriate thickness has Ibeen successfully and advantageously utilized as the head simulating form of the invention. The form 12 has a narrow, open-mouth portion 13 which, optionally, may be provided with a reinforcing bead 15 at the edge thereof. The size of the form 12 is selected so that the collapsed form can be inflated to an appropriate had size for supporting a wig thereupon. The thickness of the material used in the head simulating form should of course permit inflation and inflated use without fracture up to a maximum size equal to the maximum head size desirable.

Both members 14 and 16 preferably are formed of rigid plastic by conventional molding procedures, though other processes and material usage are feasible. Member 14 has a planar central portion 22, a curved peripheral portion 24 and a peripheral rim portion 26 while member 16 has a central planar portion 28, a curved peripheral portion 30 and a rim portion 32. Each member has smooth inner and outer surfaces, the inner surfaces defining concavities 34 and 36 respectively. Each concavity 34 and 36 is shallow so that when assembled in the carrying condition illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, they combine to define an area no larger than is sufficient to contain the deflated form 12 and the standard 18.

The first member 14 has a central passageway 38 and a hollow cylindrical valve housing 40 extends into concavity 34 integral with the inner planar surface 22 of said member 14 and coaxial with said passageway 38. Housing 40 is sufllciently long to provide an adequate surface for readily connecting the mouth portion 13 of the form 12 thereto, as will be explained. An annular groove 42 also may be provided in the outer circumferential surface of valve housing 40 spaced from the free end thereof so as to aid in maintaining the form 12 in position. The mouth portion 13 of form 12 may be stretched slightly to enable same to be fitted over the housing 40 and any suitable fastening or clamping means is utilized to provideI an airtight or hermetic seal. Resilient endless band 44 may be used, shown doubled and disposed spaced from the open end 13 of the form 12, sandwiching portion 13 thereof between band 44 and the housing 40. The band 44 preferably is retained in the groove 42. The form 12 is replaceable with others of the same type simply by removing the band 44 and replacing same.

While many conventional valve arrangements are suitable for disposition within valve housing 40, the valve herein described has certain advantages features particularly useful in applications to this invention. The valve 46 is formed of plastic material and includes a valve cup 48, the valve cup having a socket 50 and an annular ring 52 formed integral with the valve cup to define a top opening 54. A plunger 56 is mounted for reciprocation in the socket 50. Plunger 56 has a hollow extension 58 and the valve cup 48 has a bottom opening 60 through which hollow extension 58 passes, the end portion 62 thereof always being exterior of the socket 50. An annular flange 64 is formed at a selected location along the length of extension S8 to serve as stop means for preventing cornplete withdrawal of the plunger 56 from the socket 50. Slot means 65 are formed in the Wall of the hollow extension between the plunger and the flange 64. With the extension 58 fully withdrawn, air can enter the socket 50 and pass through the opening 54 to enter the form 12 for inflation thereof. To close the valve, the extension 58 is pushed in, causing the plunger 56 to seal opening 54. The inner diameter of extension 58 is selected tightly telescopically to receive the reduced diameter portion of the standard therein, as will be explained. The outer diameter of the valve cup 48 is selected to be substantially the same as passageway 38 to enable a frictional fit thereof within housing 40. The valve cup 48 also is provided with annular ange 51 adjacent the upper end thereof so that when the valve cup 48 is received in passageway 38, the flange 51 engages the top surface of the cylindrical valve housing 40.

The vertical standard 18 has a solid cylindrical 'body 66 with a reduced diameter portion 68 at one end and a threaded portion 70 on the opposite end (see FIGS. 5 and 6).

It should be noted that while the standard 18 has a height considerably greater than the height of the container formed by the mated body members 14 and 16, it likewise has a transverse dimension (ie. its width or diameter) smaller than said container height. Thus, the desirably long standard may nonetheless be accommodated within the container when extending transversely thereof as shown in FIG. 5.

The second member 16 is provided with a threaded passageway 72 centrally located therein and, of course, c0- axial with passageway 38 and hollow valve extension 58 when the members 14 and 16 are superposed one above the other. The threaded portion 70 of standard 14 is engageable Within the threaded passageway 72 of member 16 with said member arranged so that the concavity thereof faces downward, thereby providing sufficient stability for performance of its base function in erected condition of the wig support.

The peripheral rim 26 of irst member 14 is provided with an annular ring extension 74 spaced inwardly of rim 26 a distance equal to the thickness of peripheral rim 32 of second member 16 to define ledge 76.

To form the container, the first and second members 14 and 16 are engaged with their respective concavities facing and ring extension 74 frictionally engaged with the edge 78 of rim 32 engaged against ledge 76; the circumferential surfaces of rims 26 and 32 being coplanar.

It should be noted that the rim 32 may be provided with a narrow ledge 80 which abuts against the edge 82 of extension ring 74 of member 14.

Attention is directed now to the manner in which the wig support structure 10 may be utilized. In FIG. 8, the user, designated by reference character 82, has removed the collapsed support from the purse or pocket in which it is carried. The extension S8 of valve plunger 56 either is in its fully extended condition or is pulled out to place same in that condition. The extension 58 is put to the lips of the user and air -pressure is supplied thereto by blowing through open end 62 thereof, for example.

Air introduced into thecollapsed form 12 serves to separate slightly the members 14 and 16, as shown in FIG. 8. Said members then are fully separated and inverted one relative to the other so that their concavities face in opposite directions. The form 12 then is iniiated to the desired head size and the extension pushed inward closing off the valve opening 54 to maintain the inflated state of the form 12. The reduced diameter end 68 of standard 14 telescopically is engaged frictionally within said valve extension 58. The threaded portion 70 of the standard 14 is mounted upon the second member 16 which has been arranged with its concavity facing downward to permit the member 16 to function as a base for the wig supporting structure when the wig supporting structure is erected. Thus the wig supporting structure 10 is erected and a wig 20 can be mounted on the inated head simulating form thereof as shown in FIG. 1. When the wig 20 is so mounted, the weight of the Wig causes the lower section 86 of the form 12 to rest upon the rim extension 74 of member 14 thereby to provide unusual mechanical stability for the arrangement.

For disassembly, the standard is separated from that member 16 which functions as the base for the support structure. The standard 18 is pulled from its frictional telescopic engagement with the valve extension 58, causing the valve plunger 56 to be dislodged to release the air from within the head simulating form 12 thereby to collapse same. Once collapsed, the standard 18 and deflated head simulating form 12 are arranged between the members 14, 16 with the latters concavities facing and the said members engaged frictionally, as described above (see also FIG. 5).

The entire outer surface of the container formed :by the engaged members 14 and 16, except for the centrally 10- cated valve extension 58, is free from any abutments, protuherances, ledge means, key means, cam means or other conventional means ordinarily provided to separate a pair of frictionally engaged members such as found in womens compacts, shoe polish containers and the like. Such conventional means have a tendency to snag upon other objects or to be relatively stiff to operate. They detract from the esthetic appearance of the container and hence, elimination of such means thereof is one advantage of the wig support structure shown in the preferred embodiment, although the invention is not intended to be limited to this illustrated embodiment.

What I claim is:

1. In a wig support structure including a deatable head form, a base member and a cover member supporting the head form in inflated condition thereabove, and wherein the base and cover members are cooperable to form a container having a transverse dimension greater than its height, the improvement comprising:

a standard having a height greater than the height of the container and a second dimension smaller than the height of the container; and

means releasably retaining the standard in an upright condition between said members whereby said cover member is supported from a top portion of said standard and elevated above said base member,

said cover member when removed from said standard being cooperable with said base member to form a pocket-sized container having sufficient interior volume to accommodate therein the head form in deflated condition and the standard when oriented with its height extending transversely of the container.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said base and cover members are of complementary concave coniiguration,

each concavity being defined by a rim portion integral with the respective member,

said rim portions being frictionally engageable to define said container.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said base and cover members are supported from opposite end portions of said standard with their concavities inverted and facing in opposite directions.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which said head form is connected to said cover member.

5. The structure of claim 4 in which said cover member is formed with a central passageway communicating between its concavity and outer surface, and

a valve mounted in said passageway and communicating with the interior of said head form,

said valve having a portion extending exteriorly of said outer surface.

6. The structure of claim 5 in which said passageway includes a tubular segment extending into the concavity of said cover member,

said head form having an open bottom end; and

means releasably attaching said head form bottom end to said tubular segment in hermetically sealed relationshi-p.

7. The structure of claim 5 in which said standard comprises an elongated rod;

said means comprising an end portion of said rod receivable within the exteriorly extending portion of said valve.

8. The structure of claim 7 in which said means cornprises further a central opening formed in said base member; and

7 8 the Opposite end portion of said rod receivable Within 3,310,267 3/ 1967 Koehler 248-176 said central opening, 3,339,717 9/ 1967 Rakowitz 206-47 9. The structure of claim 3 in which the rim portion of said cover member engages said head form in inflated FOREIGN PATENTS' condition wlth a Wlg mounted thereon. 5 1,251,331 12/1959 France.

References Cited MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner 1,436,330 11/1922 Wiener 223-67 3,132,778 5/1964 Leclabarr 223-66 10 U.S. C1. XR,

3,257,048 6/1966 Wolder 223-67 248-176 

